The music was blaring loudly, the deep, driving bass pulsing in his stomach as he stared at the massive bouncer in front of him.
"So, boy..." the man said in a gruff, menacing voice, "What the hell do you think you're gonna do to me?"
The young man smiled and with a simple motion unsheathed the long, silver gunblade from the collection of belts at his side. Holding the blade at the black hilt with his right hand at the top and his left at the bottom, he allowed his legs to part slightly as he stood in a battle stance. "I think you know what I'll do," the young man said, his brown locks falling amidst his hardened face. The distinguishing scar seemed to burn fiercely as his brow furrowed.
The gruff man didn't budge an inch, instead signaling for two men in the shadows to emerge from their vigils.
The two men that arrived were just as massive, if not larger than the initial guard, standing beside one another with their fists in the air, preparing to fight.
"Fine by me," the young man said and turned his blade to blunt edge and ran toward the trio with a burst of speed, crouching low as he drug his sword across the metallic floor, sparks streaming behind the blade's edge.
One of muscled men tried desperately to hit the man but it was too little, too late as the young man came beside him and drove his left fist into the man's jaw, sending the man falling to the ground almost instantly.
Another guard tried to attack him from behind but was immediately stopped by the blade's blunt edge striking him hard across the stomach, causing him to grip it in pain. The young man then used the hilt of the gunblade and struck the man over the head, causing him to fall unconscious to the ground as well. Standing erect, the young man looked at the guard he had originally dealt with and smirked at the man.
The guard growled and ran toward the door in an attempt to alert others but was stopped by a forceful nunchaku strike to the face. The man stumbled backward and fell back first to the floor not far from his companions.
"You just have to start without us, huh?" a young woman's voice asked as she walked from the doorway, the music from inside following her for only a moment. She placed her nunchaku around her neck as she walked toward the tall man.
"Whatever..." the young man said as he placed his sword back into the collection of belts on his left side that served as a sheath. His tattooed arms and shoulders, broad and muscular, tensed as he handled the blade with care. "Where's Zell?"
"Right here," a young man called from behind. Waving his right hand in the air he ran toward the man and the woman until he stopped in front of them. "I took care of the guards just outside the gates," he reported, "Everything looks clear."
"And all of the stray guards inside are down for the count!" the young woman exclaimed.
The young man nodded, strands of his dark hair going over his forehead. "Then let's go," he said and began to walk but felt a strong hand grab his arm.
"Squall," Zell said as he looked up at the man, "Selphie and I are all for doing this. You're our friend. But...this is Rinoa we're talking about! Don't you think we should, I don't know, think about this some more?"
"What's there to think about?" Squall asked as he ripped his arm from Zell's grasp, "We've been hired to bring her in. And if that means we have to fight her..."
Selphie gasped, looking at Squall then at Zell. "I-it won't come to that...will it?" Selphie asked in a timid voice.
"Only time will tell, Selphie," Squall replied and walked toward the entrance of the building.
Selphie looked at Zell who only sighed and followed suit with Selphie soon following as the three made their way into the neon lights and blaring music of the building.
* * *
She knew they were coming but she did not want to cause a commotion. She was surrounded by too many that would actually do something to help her and she didn't want to see these people taken down a notch, no matter how honorable it seemed to be.
"Excuse me," Rinoa Heartilly said as she smiled at a muscular young man sitting beside her. The man nodded and stood up as she left the table, watching as she adjusted the black leather jacket with white fur collar across her shoulders. Brushing her dyed black hair from her face, Rinoa looked around carefully, making sure the crowd was not being unduly ruffled. Then, with a calm haste she began to make her way toward the back exit of the club, lightly pushing past the dancing inhabitants of the club.
"Hey!" a young woman cried out and Rinoa stopped and realized that her worst fears had come true. Turning her head, she noticed that a young woman dressed in a tight, yellow T-shirt with highly adorned overalls and blue denim hot pants was pushing past the people, nunchaku wrapped about her neck. Her dark brown hair flew gracefully behind her in two thick pigtails that were on either side of her head above her ears. Her rouge lips and lightly shadowed eyes shifted into worry as she noticed Rinoa standing at the end.
Rinoa, however, began to run again, pushing more forcefully past the people in her way.
"Rinoa, stop!" Selphie exclaimed as she began to run after the young woman in the blue dress. Selphie ran through the already separated crowd that Rinoa had parted.
Squall and Zell emerged into the crowd and looked around, noticing that Rinoa had climbed the stairs toward another exit.
"Guard the back exit," Squall ordered Zell, "I'm gonna go ahead with Selphie."
"Right," Zell nodded and ran for the back as Squall began taking the nearest staircase two steps at a time, heading toward the catwalk where dozens of neon lights and spotlights rested.
"Rinoa!" Selphie called over the crowd's ever rising noise as she landed on the catwalk with a thump and, after gaining her footing, began to run after the young woman.
"You're not going to catch me, dammit!" Rinoa yelled but then she saw Squall ascend the stairs yards in front of her and she stopped in her tracks.
Selphie sighed as she slowed down a few yards away from Rinoa. "Rinoa, please..." Selphie pleaded but she was already removing her nunchaku from her neck, "I really don't want to fight you."
"Don't bother," Squall called to Selphie as he lifted his fists, "She's not gonna listen anyway. She's already attacked dozens of people, what's a couple of more?" Squall gazed darkly at Rinoa as she looked back at him with a determined expression. She was not going to be taken in. Not now.
"Fine," Rinoa said as she pulled off the leather jacket and threw it to the ground, "I was looking forward to a little warm-up anyway." Her beautiful outfit had been exposed to the smoky club atmosphere: a light blue dress worn on top of a white, bell-sleeved shirt made of fine silk. On her back rested two silken angel wings that protruded gracefully amidst her black hair. Raising her hands, Rinoa closed her eyes and mouthed the word "Haste" amidst the booming of the music and suddenly a holy light emitted from her form and enveloped her body.
"Selphie!" Squall called, "She's just enhanced her...!"
"I know! I know!" Selphie cried as she backed up a bit, nunchaku in hand.
Rinoa let her hands go down and instantly turned around and charged for Selphie. Using her fists, she began to spar with Selphie's swings of the nunchaku, easily matching each blow without ever slowing down. Using her right leg, she suddenly kicked Selphie in the left shin, causing the young woman to lose her step and fall forward. Using this moment, Rinoa used her left fist and delivered a powerful left hook to the young woman's jaw, quickly sending her to the surface of the catwalk and into unconsciousness.
Squall scowled as he lifted his fists in preparation. He wanted so much to use his sword on her but he was ordered to capture...not kill. So, with everything he had, Squall rushed toward Rinoa, swinging his fists violently at the woman who used her open hands to knock away each of his blows. After knocking his fists away, Rinoa grabbed the young man by the shirt and with all of her might, slammed her head into Squall's, causing the young man to stagger once she let him go.
Squall held onto the guardrail, trying desperately to regain his composure and vision. It seems that she had strung darkness magic into her head butt.
"Sorry, Squall," Rinoa said as she lifted her hands, "But I'm not ready to be taken in." Closing her eyes once again, Rinoa mouthed the word "Apocalypse-Slow". After the words were uttered, an orb of black light appeared above her head, slowly growing into an ever-increasing array of colors. Opening her eyes again, Rinoa turned and walked toward the coat she had left on the floor of the catwalk, noticing Selphie was still out cold. She picked up the coat and placed it over her left shoulder, lifting her right hand in above her head as the lunar glow engulfed her form.
"Rinoa...!" Squall yelled as he shook his head, desperately attempting to rid himself of the darkness spell.
"If you wanna live," Rinoa said, "I suggest you get a move on, Leonhart." And with that she shot an ice spell from her hand that sped upward into the skylight above her. She looked at Squall with concern but then turned her back on him as she began to float slowly into the air until she floated out of the club.
Squall groped around his pants until he found the pocket he was looking for. Taking out a small, white pill, he crushed it in his fist and threw it over his head. As the white powder fell over his face, a soothing light surrounded his face. Squall opened his eyes and the darkness that once plagued had been rid of. Squall instantly looked up at the skylight and realizing that Rinoa was gone.
"Squall!" Zell called from the other side of the catwalk as he helped Selphie to her feet, "The Apocalypse! Take care of it!"
Squall's eyes widened and he looked up, realizing that Rinoa's Apocalypse was quickly coming back to normal time. The multi-colored orb was already taking up several yards of air space, shining its light down upon the unsuspecting public below.
"Shit..." Squall cursed.
"Squall!" Selphie exclaimed as she was being held in Zell's arms.
"All right!" Squall said and he quickly placed a hand on the hilt of his gunblade. Unsheathing the silver blade, he held it upward and suddenly his body began to glow blue until electrical sparks began to emanate from his form. Taking the hilt of the blade in both hands, Squall jumped high into the air and forcefully drove the blade directly through the metal catwalk and bowed before the gunblade as the sparks overcame his form, turning his body completely white.
"It's working..." Zell said in amazement, "It's really working!"
"Woo-hoo!" Selphie exclaimed as she stood erect.
The electric form began to float in the air and, with arms outstretched, began to grow, the sparks raining down upon the catwalk and even onto the people below. With a roar that overcame even the blaring music, the sparks dispersed to reveal a new person.
"Whoa..." Zell exclaimed, "He looks like Quezacotl!"
"Or someone that's wearing Quezacotl," Selphie replied.
Squall floated in the air, his entire body covered in a garment that resembled the form of the legendary GF Quezacotl. The green sleeves flapped gracefully in the air as Squall turned to face the growing Apocalypse, his face hidden by the green hood. Lifting an arm to the sky, Squall summoned a sudden shower of lighting bolts that encircled the Apocalpyse orb. Using his other arm, he slowly motioned for the running currents to rise, taking the threatening magic along with them. Slowly, the currents and the multi-colored death spell exited the club until suddenly a massive explosion sounded, causing club goers below to scream with fright and duck as falling debris from the ceiling landed to the floor.
Squall groaned and as he let his arms fall from position. As he slowly fell to the catwalk, the green garment he wore slowly dissipated into nothingness. By the time he was kneeling in front of his sword, the garment had disappeared leaving Squall in his original outfit.
Zell and Selphie ran over to where Squall knelt and crouched beside him.
"Are you all right?" Zell asked over the commotion below.
Squall looked up with a grim smile and replied, "Never better."
Selphie smiled and stuck her tongue out at Squall.
But Squall could only sigh as he looked up at the colorful cloud left behind by the Apocalypse and realized that their mission was not yet over.
"So, boy..." the man said in a gruff, menacing voice, "What the hell do you think you're gonna do to me?"
The young man smiled and with a simple motion unsheathed the long, silver gunblade from the collection of belts at his side. Holding the blade at the black hilt with his right hand at the top and his left at the bottom, he allowed his legs to part slightly as he stood in a battle stance. "I think you know what I'll do," the young man said, his brown locks falling amidst his hardened face. The distinguishing scar seemed to burn fiercely as his brow furrowed.
The gruff man didn't budge an inch, instead signaling for two men in the shadows to emerge from their vigils.
The two men that arrived were just as massive, if not larger than the initial guard, standing beside one another with their fists in the air, preparing to fight.
"Fine by me," the young man said and turned his blade to blunt edge and ran toward the trio with a burst of speed, crouching low as he drug his sword across the metallic floor, sparks streaming behind the blade's edge.
One of muscled men tried desperately to hit the man but it was too little, too late as the young man came beside him and drove his left fist into the man's jaw, sending the man falling to the ground almost instantly.
Another guard tried to attack him from behind but was immediately stopped by the blade's blunt edge striking him hard across the stomach, causing him to grip it in pain. The young man then used the hilt of the gunblade and struck the man over the head, causing him to fall unconscious to the ground as well. Standing erect, the young man looked at the guard he had originally dealt with and smirked at the man.
The guard growled and ran toward the door in an attempt to alert others but was stopped by a forceful nunchaku strike to the face. The man stumbled backward and fell back first to the floor not far from his companions.
"You just have to start without us, huh?" a young woman's voice asked as she walked from the doorway, the music from inside following her for only a moment. She placed her nunchaku around her neck as she walked toward the tall man.
"Whatever..." the young man said as he placed his sword back into the collection of belts on his left side that served as a sheath. His tattooed arms and shoulders, broad and muscular, tensed as he handled the blade with care. "Where's Zell?"
"Right here," a young man called from behind. Waving his right hand in the air he ran toward the man and the woman until he stopped in front of them. "I took care of the guards just outside the gates," he reported, "Everything looks clear."
"And all of the stray guards inside are down for the count!" the young woman exclaimed.
The young man nodded, strands of his dark hair going over his forehead. "Then let's go," he said and began to walk but felt a strong hand grab his arm.
"Squall," Zell said as he looked up at the man, "Selphie and I are all for doing this. You're our friend. But...this is Rinoa we're talking about! Don't you think we should, I don't know, think about this some more?"
"What's there to think about?" Squall asked as he ripped his arm from Zell's grasp, "We've been hired to bring her in. And if that means we have to fight her..."
Selphie gasped, looking at Squall then at Zell. "I-it won't come to that...will it?" Selphie asked in a timid voice.
"Only time will tell, Selphie," Squall replied and walked toward the entrance of the building.
Selphie looked at Zell who only sighed and followed suit with Selphie soon following as the three made their way into the neon lights and blaring music of the building.
* * *
She knew they were coming but she did not want to cause a commotion. She was surrounded by too many that would actually do something to help her and she didn't want to see these people taken down a notch, no matter how honorable it seemed to be.
"Excuse me," Rinoa Heartilly said as she smiled at a muscular young man sitting beside her. The man nodded and stood up as she left the table, watching as she adjusted the black leather jacket with white fur collar across her shoulders. Brushing her dyed black hair from her face, Rinoa looked around carefully, making sure the crowd was not being unduly ruffled. Then, with a calm haste she began to make her way toward the back exit of the club, lightly pushing past the dancing inhabitants of the club.
"Hey!" a young woman cried out and Rinoa stopped and realized that her worst fears had come true. Turning her head, she noticed that a young woman dressed in a tight, yellow T-shirt with highly adorned overalls and blue denim hot pants was pushing past the people, nunchaku wrapped about her neck. Her dark brown hair flew gracefully behind her in two thick pigtails that were on either side of her head above her ears. Her rouge lips and lightly shadowed eyes shifted into worry as she noticed Rinoa standing at the end.
Rinoa, however, began to run again, pushing more forcefully past the people in her way.
"Rinoa, stop!" Selphie exclaimed as she began to run after the young woman in the blue dress. Selphie ran through the already separated crowd that Rinoa had parted.
Squall and Zell emerged into the crowd and looked around, noticing that Rinoa had climbed the stairs toward another exit.
"Guard the back exit," Squall ordered Zell, "I'm gonna go ahead with Selphie."
"Right," Zell nodded and ran for the back as Squall began taking the nearest staircase two steps at a time, heading toward the catwalk where dozens of neon lights and spotlights rested.
"Rinoa!" Selphie called over the crowd's ever rising noise as she landed on the catwalk with a thump and, after gaining her footing, began to run after the young woman.
"You're not going to catch me, dammit!" Rinoa yelled but then she saw Squall ascend the stairs yards in front of her and she stopped in her tracks.
Selphie sighed as she slowed down a few yards away from Rinoa. "Rinoa, please..." Selphie pleaded but she was already removing her nunchaku from her neck, "I really don't want to fight you."
"Don't bother," Squall called to Selphie as he lifted his fists, "She's not gonna listen anyway. She's already attacked dozens of people, what's a couple of more?" Squall gazed darkly at Rinoa as she looked back at him with a determined expression. She was not going to be taken in. Not now.
"Fine," Rinoa said as she pulled off the leather jacket and threw it to the ground, "I was looking forward to a little warm-up anyway." Her beautiful outfit had been exposed to the smoky club atmosphere: a light blue dress worn on top of a white, bell-sleeved shirt made of fine silk. On her back rested two silken angel wings that protruded gracefully amidst her black hair. Raising her hands, Rinoa closed her eyes and mouthed the word "Haste" amidst the booming of the music and suddenly a holy light emitted from her form and enveloped her body.
"Selphie!" Squall called, "She's just enhanced her...!"
"I know! I know!" Selphie cried as she backed up a bit, nunchaku in hand.
Rinoa let her hands go down and instantly turned around and charged for Selphie. Using her fists, she began to spar with Selphie's swings of the nunchaku, easily matching each blow without ever slowing down. Using her right leg, she suddenly kicked Selphie in the left shin, causing the young woman to lose her step and fall forward. Using this moment, Rinoa used her left fist and delivered a powerful left hook to the young woman's jaw, quickly sending her to the surface of the catwalk and into unconsciousness.
Squall scowled as he lifted his fists in preparation. He wanted so much to use his sword on her but he was ordered to capture...not kill. So, with everything he had, Squall rushed toward Rinoa, swinging his fists violently at the woman who used her open hands to knock away each of his blows. After knocking his fists away, Rinoa grabbed the young man by the shirt and with all of her might, slammed her head into Squall's, causing the young man to stagger once she let him go.
Squall held onto the guardrail, trying desperately to regain his composure and vision. It seems that she had strung darkness magic into her head butt.
"Sorry, Squall," Rinoa said as she lifted her hands, "But I'm not ready to be taken in." Closing her eyes once again, Rinoa mouthed the word "Apocalypse-Slow". After the words were uttered, an orb of black light appeared above her head, slowly growing into an ever-increasing array of colors. Opening her eyes again, Rinoa turned and walked toward the coat she had left on the floor of the catwalk, noticing Selphie was still out cold. She picked up the coat and placed it over her left shoulder, lifting her right hand in above her head as the lunar glow engulfed her form.
"Rinoa...!" Squall yelled as he shook his head, desperately attempting to rid himself of the darkness spell.
"If you wanna live," Rinoa said, "I suggest you get a move on, Leonhart." And with that she shot an ice spell from her hand that sped upward into the skylight above her. She looked at Squall with concern but then turned her back on him as she began to float slowly into the air until she floated out of the club.
Squall groped around his pants until he found the pocket he was looking for. Taking out a small, white pill, he crushed it in his fist and threw it over his head. As the white powder fell over his face, a soothing light surrounded his face. Squall opened his eyes and the darkness that once plagued had been rid of. Squall instantly looked up at the skylight and realizing that Rinoa was gone.
"Squall!" Zell called from the other side of the catwalk as he helped Selphie to her feet, "The Apocalypse! Take care of it!"
Squall's eyes widened and he looked up, realizing that Rinoa's Apocalypse was quickly coming back to normal time. The multi-colored orb was already taking up several yards of air space, shining its light down upon the unsuspecting public below.
"Shit..." Squall cursed.
"Squall!" Selphie exclaimed as she was being held in Zell's arms.
"All right!" Squall said and he quickly placed a hand on the hilt of his gunblade. Unsheathing the silver blade, he held it upward and suddenly his body began to glow blue until electrical sparks began to emanate from his form. Taking the hilt of the blade in both hands, Squall jumped high into the air and forcefully drove the blade directly through the metal catwalk and bowed before the gunblade as the sparks overcame his form, turning his body completely white.
"It's working..." Zell said in amazement, "It's really working!"
"Woo-hoo!" Selphie exclaimed as she stood erect.
The electric form began to float in the air and, with arms outstretched, began to grow, the sparks raining down upon the catwalk and even onto the people below. With a roar that overcame even the blaring music, the sparks dispersed to reveal a new person.
"Whoa..." Zell exclaimed, "He looks like Quezacotl!"
"Or someone that's wearing Quezacotl," Selphie replied.
Squall floated in the air, his entire body covered in a garment that resembled the form of the legendary GF Quezacotl. The green sleeves flapped gracefully in the air as Squall turned to face the growing Apocalypse, his face hidden by the green hood. Lifting an arm to the sky, Squall summoned a sudden shower of lighting bolts that encircled the Apocalpyse orb. Using his other arm, he slowly motioned for the running currents to rise, taking the threatening magic along with them. Slowly, the currents and the multi-colored death spell exited the club until suddenly a massive explosion sounded, causing club goers below to scream with fright and duck as falling debris from the ceiling landed to the floor.
Squall groaned and as he let his arms fall from position. As he slowly fell to the catwalk, the green garment he wore slowly dissipated into nothingness. By the time he was kneeling in front of his sword, the garment had disappeared leaving Squall in his original outfit.
Zell and Selphie ran over to where Squall knelt and crouched beside him.
"Are you all right?" Zell asked over the commotion below.
Squall looked up with a grim smile and replied, "Never better."
Selphie smiled and stuck her tongue out at Squall.
But Squall could only sigh as he looked up at the colorful cloud left behind by the Apocalypse and realized that their mission was not yet over.